[Flashback] Wish on a falling star (Eridanus)

[Satevis]

"Thank you."

He nodded in gratitude as Eridanus gave him his cloak, wrapping it around himself. It clung to his skin, the water that was still on him soaking through the thin fabric. Had it not been summer, he would have been uncomfortable with it. He--or at least Taras--had always hated the cold. For now, though, it was warm enough that the water didn't bother him. The cloak covered him up, and that was all he needed at the moment.

"Yes," he said with a nod as Eridanus motioned him down the path. He walked beside his fellow Ethaefal, entering the streets. Although he had been in Zeltiva before, the memories were too fragmented for him to recall anything but the occasional image. He had no idea how to get to the University, or even in which direction it was. The stones of the streets hurt his feet, and he made a mental note to acquire shoes as quickly as possible as he walked beside the other man.

People stared at the two of them, but that couldn't be helped. They weren't exactly an ordinary sight--two Ethaefal walking through the city at night, with one of them drenched, barefoot, and wearing only a cloak. He found himself lowering his eyes to the ground, the attention making him uncomfortable. In the Ukalas, he had been one of the least radiant, nothing more than a chosen soul in the company of the god he served, and that had suited him well. He had never liked attention.

To take his mind off of it and off of the Ukalas, he turned his thoughts towards the matter of his name. He needed to choose something to be called, but he had no idea what. The name Leth had given him was the only name he would ever need, but he couldn't use it now.

He glanced up at the man beside him. Surely Eridanus had encountered the same problem.

"Eridanus..." he mused, not realizing at first that he was speaking out loud. He looked up, turning towards his fellow Ethaefal. "It's a constellation, isn't it? The river that marks the path of souls..."

[Eridanus]

Eridanus had a look of concern even as they walked, and his fellow ethaefal clung onto the outer cloak, teeth chattering and hands shivering. He was wet, and now the cloak was wet too. With wet clothing combined with the cold he might get something nasty if they remained in the open any longer.

"Wait," Eridanus stated, focusing within himself to pull his djed out. Extracting a sufficiently large amount, he fashioned the djed as an orb, directing it via willpower to splatter on Taras. He spread out the astral resource, pushing it to be as close to the man's skin as he could, and completely spread out the djed to cover all areas of the ethaefal.

"Give me a moment," He muttered, his hands waving over the man in the air as he used his gestures to guide his focus. Mentally weaving the djed threads of the rudimentary shield, he implemented the first task as an elemental tasking against water. When this tasking was distributed throughout the entire shield, he began feeding more djed into the shield, pushing it out as it expanded.

From clinging tightly to the man's skin, the shield expanded first through the cloak, then to an orb around the ethaefal. As a result of the tasking and the pushing motion, all the water, wetness and moisture was pushed out from the man's skin and cloak, effectively making both him and the cloak dry.

His hands gesturing, he continued to implement the second tasking to block against cold. However, he tempered this with glyphing, placing the arcane instructions within the shield itself by using the very djed threads that formed the tapestry of tasking. The glyphs regulated the second tasking, and kept the temperature within the bubble-like shield reasonable, though slightly more on the warm side for Taras' comfort.

"Let's go," He said, leading the ethaefal onwards.

"Is that what it is? The river that marks the path of souls?" He remarked in response to Taras' comments. "This name was given to me by the person who saved me from drowning off the coast of Sahova. Coincidentally, that person was doing research and experiments regarding astronomy and astrology patterns, and the constellation Eridanus was his 'specialization' of sorts."

The various people milling about could not help but take second glances at the two of them - two darkly beautiful Fallen Children walking together. They personified the feral beauty of Leth, amplified by the celestial glamour that gave their bodies an unearthly and surreal glow that nevertheless attracted people unconditionally. It was the touch of the Ukalas, the remnants of what little divinity they once possessed.

"You need a proper name, don't you?" He mused, for he quite understood the man's train of thought. He was fortunate enough to remember enough of his past life to remember his name, unlike Eridanus. Yet, like Eridanus, he knew that he was neither that being, but all of his past selves combined. That was the essence of a spirit from the Ukalas.

Unfortunately, all ethaefal had names but they could no longer properly vocalize or fully remember them. Their names were too complex for mortal minds and tongues to comprehend and speak.

"What name do you have in mind?"

[Satevis]

He held still as Eridanus used magic to force the water away from his skin and from the cloak, his eyes widening as he felt the water suddenly leaving him. pushing away from him in one swift movement and leaving him completely dry. He felt the familiar pull that he always felt when faced with the arcane, a burning curiosity and a desire to know--to repeat. The pull was laced with Taras's fear and caution--the Benshira as a people shunned and rejected magic, but as Taras, he had always been dangerously drawn to it. He had wondered often, what would it be like to command such power? Would he have an aptitude for it?

Taras had felt guilty for those thoughts, but the Ethaefal he was now knew better. Because it wasn't just Taras that was attracted to the arcane, it was him. There were wizards in his past lives, many of them. He couldn't remember the details of his lives, but what little he knew told him one thing. There was no past life in his memory where he wasn't a scholar of some sort, nor was there a life where he hadn't been drawn to magic.

Why shouldn't he feel guilty for it now, as an Ethaefal? He wasn't Taras the Benshira anymore. And technically, his religion had never forbidden it. It was his people that had done so, not wanting to create another Sagallius. But magic was a tool in the hands of the mage, not good or evil in its own right.

"You will have to show me how to do that sometime," he said as Eridanus finished, a small smile on his face as he walked next to the other man. "Thank you. That is much better."

He listened as Eridanus explained that he had been given his name by the person that had saved him, frowning in thought as the man asked him what name he had in mind for himself. He went through all of the constellations he knew of in sequence, beginning with the most common--the zodiac. Leo? No, he didn't consider himself much of a lion. Libra? It sounded too feminine. Capricorn...well, considering his horns, he should probably avoid anything that brought goats to mind. Scorpius? As a former desert dweller, he knew the danger of scorpions. He wouldn't want to be named after one.

But Scorpius brought to mind other things...

"There is a star..." he finally said. "In Common it is called Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius. But among some of my former people, in our older writings, it is known as Satevis, the Watcher of the West. I think that would be a suitable name."

His former homeland was in the west, after all, and he still held an attachment to Eyktol. The star was also known as the Heart of the Scorpion, but he did not mention that. It seemed like it would be an ill omen, to refer to it as such.

[Eridanus]

The two ethaefals passed by the large gate that signified the entrance of the huge University campus, and Eridanus led the man towards the Infirmary.

"Over here," Eridanus gestured as he opened the door, ushering the other leth-born towards a corridor.

"Satevis...? It sounds like an interesting name. Is there a reason behind choosing the name of the 'brightest star', though?" He asked, eyes twinkling in curiosity.

They passed by several more students who were also in the Infirmary for medical services who also gave them curious glances and flat-out stares as they walked by. They finally entered the waiting room, but it seemed that the only staff there was busy with someone else.

"We have to wait," He told the newly named Satevis, gesturing towards an empty seat before taking one himself.

"Do you happen to recall knowing magic? Perhaps from one of your past lives?" He asked curiously in response to the remark about asking him to teach him magic earlier on. Eridanus had found himself with an affinity for flux, and he found the discipline innately easy to pick up.

He highly believed that it was because his previous life - the vantha one - was a powerful flux user, but he had no concrete evidence. It was all conjecture, for he did not even know the name of his previous life, only random snippets of memory that made it hard to triangulate the time or place of those memories.

[Satevis]

Satevis followed Eridanus through the corridors of the University, resisting the urge to stare. He had always been drawn to places of learning, and as Taras, he had wanted to go to Zeltiva but had encountered complications along the way--said complications being his death. It was rather hard to study at the University when one was dead.

"It's the most noticeable one in the constellation," said Satevis, when Eridanus asked him why he would choose the brightest star. "I like the symbolism. The star Satevis is fixed in the west, and Taras was from Yahebah. His memories are the most complete, and I share his fondness for the desert."

He nodded as Eridanus said that they needed to wait. It didn't bother him. In all honesty, he felt fine. Emotionally, he was a bit of a wreck, but he couldn't point to anything that was wrong with him physically. A few scratches here and there for walking barefoot through a busy street, a burning in the back of his nose and throat from the saltwater he had inhaled, but nothing that wouldn't heal in time. Of course, Eridanus was right. It would be prudent to check with a professional, just in case. He took the empty seat, making sure the cloak was firmly fixed around himself.

Satevis frowned as Eridanus asked if he recalled knowing magic, thinking back to his past lives. Again, they presented him with fragments, images, and sensations. The warmth of fire at his fingertips, the drawing of glyphs and sigils, and other forms of magic he couldn't place. "As Taras? Never," he said. "My people--Taras's people--shun magic. But as Taras, I was always curious about it. As for my other lives..." He paused, trying again to remember better. "Their memories aren't as clear. At least one of them was a Reimancer, another an Aurist. Most of them seem to have done glyphing of one form or another..." He shook his head.

"Unfortunately, I only remember bits and pieces," he said. "None of the actual principles."

[Eridanus]

"Ah! The desert! Which one of them did Taras belong to, Satevis? The Nomads or the Many-Armed People?" Eridanus asked. He was not too familiar with the Ekytol region. He only knew that the haughty eypharians came from there, and that the children of one of the gods he worshipped - Yahal - roamed the desert too.

"Yes, it is probably normal for you to feel that way about magic," He sympathized. "It was like that for me too for flux. Though for me it was more like a feeling of deja vu the more I explored the area, the feeling that I already knew this and was more like 'refreshing memory' rather than learning anything new."

Stretching his arms out, he leaned against the wall, observing the people milling about as patients came and go as they awaited their turn.

"You might want to explore the magic that you feel the most affinity for. In fact, the University is the perfect place to do so - there is no other place more well-equipped for this. You might even unlock more memories as you progress."

It was like that for him, since memories and skills are closely related. Whenever he discovered something in flux or progressed in competency, he would recall the relevant piece of information that his past life knew regarding the discipline, and that would come along with even more memories and flashbacks that his past life had associated with the skill.

And it was not just magic. Any skill that any of his past lives practised would work as well. Skills were the best way - and possibly the only way available to mortals - to discover more about himself and all his past selves.

[Satevis]

"Taras was one of the nomads," replied Satevis. "The Benshira." It felt odd to refer to himself in third person. Even though he accepted that he was no longer Taras, he still did think very much like a Benshira. "I--he was one of the sons of Malech."

He listened intently as Eridanus explained that he had felt the same way about flux. He wondered if he would be able to learn more about his past lives through studying magic. It made sense, and it was something he had resolved to do in any case. The newborn Ethaefal stared down at his hands, resting them on the arms of his chair. What form of magic did he feel the most affinity for?

The memory flashed into his mind again, a streak of flames blossoming to life at his fingertips.

Reimancy. He would learn Reimancy. If any form of magic could give him an insight into his past, it would be that.

But first, he would visit his former homeland. Taras's one regret had been that he had died so far away from home, without ever contacting his parents or family again. They were long dead by now, probably, either claimed by Yahal or back in the cycle of reincarnation. But he would find where they were buried and pay his respects, putting Taras's regrets to rest. He would not go as a wizard. He would give the man who had once been his father that much respect.

And then he would move on.

With that in mind, Satevis looked up, turning towards Eridanus. "I think I will do that," he said. "But before I get lost in study, I have one thing to do. Taras, unfortunately, left some business unfinished." He smiled faintly, observing as people entered and left the Infirmary.

"Thank you for helping me tonight, Eridanus," he said. "I am in your debt."

[Eridanus]

"Ah right," Eridanus nodded. The words 'sons of Malech' was supposed to be connected to the Benshiran identity, then. Unfortunately, he did not know anything about the nomads except that they were children of Yahal and that they wandered the deserts of Ekytol. That was about all he knew.

"Lucky you," He muttered, for at least Satevis managed to possess a clear enough memory of his past life. Eridanus did not even know the proper identity of his vantha life, and part of his quest in this mortal world was to discover and understand the reason why Leth chose him in that life. Only then perhaps could he unlock the secret why Leth had left him stranded here without communication for so long.

"Next!" The staff at the reception counter called out, and gestured towards Eridanus.

"It's your turn," The ethaefal told his brethren, helping him to stand up and bringing him to one of the consultation rooms.

OOCShort post meh ._. I'll leave it up to you to describe the doctor's diagnosis and stuff, since you know Satevis' body/condition best

[Satevis]

OOCGoogle, what would I do without you?

Satevis got to his feet as he was called, with a little help from Eridanus. He was still somewhat shaky on his feet, but he had managed to walk all the way from the beach to the University, and he managed the walk into the consultation room. The doctor, a tall human with dark hair liberally flecked with gray, motioned for him to sit on the examination table and he did so, his Ethaefal form tall enough that his feet touched the ground. If the doctor was taken aback by the two Ethaefal standing in his consultation room, he didn't show it.

"Now then," he said. "What happened to you?"

Satevis took a deep breath, beginning to relay the story of how he had awoken in the middle of the sea, not far from shore. He hadn't been able to swim, but he had done his best to keep his head above water and make for the coast. The waves were strong enough to bring him inland, but he recalled struggling for breath before finally going under. While he spoke, the doctor examined him, occasionally nodding or mumbling things under his breath at certain points in Satevis's story. He seemed unfazed by the incident. Satevis supposed that a medical professional working in a port city eventually got used to stories of drowning or near-drowning.

"I blacked out at some point," he said. "I don't really remember. When I awoke, I was on the beach. Eridanus found me." He gestured to his fellow Ethaefal. "And then I came here."

"Well," said the doctor, finishing his examination and taking a step back from him. "I suppose it's pointless to ask you if you've noticed any changes in behavior or mental processes."

Satevis nodded once, lowering his eyes to the floor. He wouldn't be able to tell if he was thinking differently from normal, because of course, nothing about this was remotely close to what he had come to consider normal. The doctor turned away from him, walking over to a workbench with a variety of different herbs and medicines on it. "Throat sore?" he asked.

"A little," admitted Satevis, nodding.

The doctor talked as he worked, taking several herbs and grinding them in a mortar and pestle. Water was already boiling merrily in the small kettle next to him, and to that, he added some sprigs of an herb Satevis couldn't name. "Well, son of Leth," he said as he worked. "You've no signs of hypothermia. I'd wager that your friend over there helped you with that when he got you out of the cold. Good thinking, by the way. You say you had water in your lungs, so you probably have some sort of respiratory distress, but you seem lucid enough, with no significant injuries. There are some risks associated with near drowning--infections and the like--so I'd like to keep you under observation overnight. Is that acceptable?"

His tone suggested that the question was just a formality. Satevis nodded once, not wanting to find out how he would react if he refused. "Yes," he said. "It is."

The doctor poured something from the kettle into a small cup, handing it to him. He cupped it with both hands, frowning. A strong herbal smell rose from the cup. "Drink," said the doctor. "It will soothe your throat." He hesitated, but took a small sip, cringing at the bitter taste. The doctor was right, though. It eased the burning in his throat somewhat. He took another sip.

"Let someone know immediately if you begin coughing, develop a fever, or experience difficulty in breathing," he said. "I'll have one of the nurses bring you to an empty room," he said. He frowned, eyeing the cloak that Satevis was wearing. "And perhaps send for some fresh clothes. Have you any idea what your mortal seeming is?"

Satevis stared at the man in confusion. Mortal...seeming...?

"I'm sorry," he said. "My what?'

[Eridanus]

Eridanus listened carefully to the doctor's diagnosis. It seemed that there was no major problems with Satevis.

"Your mortal form, Satevis," He prompted. "You and me, we only look like this when Leth reigns in the sky. When Syna takes over, we will return back to our most recent form - usually the past life we're at when Leth took us out of the reincarnation cycle."

He found it strange to be explaining this, but he knew that Satevis would not know this, for he had just fallen at night. With this explanation he hoped to help ease his fellow ethaefal's transition to a mortal life on Mizahar and to avoid unnecessary shock or surprise.

"For me... I turn into a vantha in the day. You will return to Taras the Benshira. Unlike you, I can't remember as much detail about my past life as you do, so all I know is that I'm a vantha - along with random bits and pieces of memory that I can't link together."

Turning to face the doctor, he continued, "Satevis is a Benshira in his mortal seeming. Apologies for his confusion, for he's still trying to adjust to life here. It is remarkable he shows this level of lucidity and rationality despite his disorientation. Are there any other questions?"